NEWS

$1,000,000 FUND ANNOUNCED TO HELP DREAMERSRENEW DACA BY OCTOBER!

September 14th, 2017​ORANGE COUNTY– Between now and the October 5 deadline, MAF will provide 2,000 Dreamers with scholarships of $495 to renew their DACA permit. DACA recipients with a permit expiring between now and March 5 are eligible to receive the scholarships. As time is of the essence, this online scholarship will be processed within a day.(Photo provided by Leonel Velazquezz)~ lc4daca.org/

Charlene Hanson Died In a Fatal Car Crash near Civic Center Drive and Lacy Street In Santa Ana; Other Pedestrians Killed In Accidents Over The Years. This Stops today!

September 9th, 2017​SANTA ANA – Now the community is much safer! Traffic lights have been implemented and are now working. It all started after a fatal accident and many more before at this specific pedestrian crossing between Civic Center and Lacy Ave in Santa Ana. OCCCO community leaders organized meetings with council member Michelle Martinez and persisted to request more safety for pedestrians at Civic Center Ave.We're not done yet OC! Community leaders are planning to implement more traffic safety crosswalks for pedestrians throughout Santa Ana. Thank you community leaders Andy Saavedra and Jorge Rodriguez of Saint Joseph Church for leading your community towards a better and safer Santa Ana. (Photo provided by Leonel Velazquezz)~ Averk

“I came here when I was 3 years old,” she said. “Mexico is a foreign country to me.”

September 5th, 2017​IRVINE – Drummers led the Tuesday morning march of 200 DACA supporters, as they walked from San Marco Park to the office of U.S. Congresswoman Mimi Walters.“We demand that (Congresswoman) Mimi Walters co-sponsors legislation to help our DACA community,” Rex Wang said to the cheering crowd.Wang is an organizer with the Korean Resource Center, one of the multiple organizations that put on the rally.(Photo provided by Miguel Hernandez)~ OCRegister

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA): 50 STATE ROLL CALL

August 4th, 2017

The bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law in December 2015, replacing No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The passage of ESSA turned control of the country’s K-12 education system back over to the states, giving local legislatures more flexibility surrounding decisions about standards, assessments and other accountability measures. Since Congress passed ESSA, states have been busy writing their own accountability plans which have to be submitted for approval from the federal Department of Education no later than September 2017.

“Get a (expletive) job, you (expletive) pig!"

A luxury car drives past Angel Mayfield’s tent in the Santa Ana River, and the driver shouts out his window:“Get a (expletive) job, you (expletive) pig!"Mayfield has a job. Two, in fact.

The residents in the homeless encampment next to Angel Stadium call their neighborhood River View Village. Their world sometimes defies expectations.(Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)~ OC Register

How California’s ‘sanctuary state’ bill would further limit ICE’s ability to arrest immigrants

July 24th, 2017

"Whether and how law enforcement agencies in the state cooperate with ICE in custody operations varies greatly from county to county, said Angela Chan, policy director and senior staff attorney at the San Francisco-based Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus, which promotes the rights of Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

From Disney area to the Honda Center!

County notifies homeless people near Honda Center that they will have to move from riverbank.​ (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)​~ OC Register

Disney Bench Removal harass homeless.

July 13th, 2017

Leaders from the PTF will unite in front of Disney to promote Dignity for the homeless community​ (Photo by Joseph Pimentel, Orange County Register; Disney Photo by Gabriel San Roman / OC Weekly)​~ OC Register~ OC Weekly

This New Kind of Shelter Aims to Break the Cycle of Homelessness​

July 12th, 2017

It’s called Bridges at Kraemer Place, and it’s designed to reverse homelessness by helping people become self-sufficient. When the facility is fully functional, it will have job training, a computer room, social services, an on-site nurse, a full kitchen and dining hall.​(Photo courtesy mercyhouse.net)~ Reported by KQED NEWS

ACLU says Orange County jails are ‘inhumane;’ seeks citizen oversight

“People who are in jail are at the lowest point in their lives and throwing salt on that wound doesn’t make for a good environment.”​~ OC Register

Homeless advocates pressure Orange County supervisors to spend more money on housing.

June 13th, 2017

SANTA ANA For two hours straight, the Orange County Board of Supervisors listened to one Orange County resident after another at their public budget hearing on Tuesday, June 13, criticize them for not dedicating enough money to alleviate homelessness.​~ OC Register

May Day rallies in Orange County focus on immigrant and worker rights.

May 1st, 2017​May Day, or International Workers’ Day, demonstrations have taken place since the late 19th century, but Marisol Rivera, vice president of SEIU United Service Workers West in Orange County, said this year was different because Donald Trump is president.

What's happening at the Grass Roots of our Communities?

July 20th, 2017

​Thursday evening leaders from Mesa Del Mar gathered for their 1st session of this year's 2nd Cohort for the Annual Leadership Academy at The Crossing Church.

Juana Trejo shares her experience, "Para mí fue una experiencia inolvidable.y como les dije al grupo ustedes son mis maestras por que yo también boy a aprender de sus testimonios, y la verdad solo he escuchado cosas positivas.Yo estoy feliz y meciento orgullosa de lo que Occco me a ensenado. Porque gracias a la organización soy lo que soy como líder.Y ahora tengo la oportunidad de estar liderando a otros futuros líderes para que podamos seguir luchando por vivir con dignidad humana y sin miedo."Translation:"For me it was an unforgettable experience. And as I told the group, you are my teachers because I also learn from your testimonies, and the truth I have only heard positive things.I am happy and proud of what Occco has taught me. Because thanks to the organization I am what I am as a leader.And now I have the opportunity to be leading other future leaders so that we can continue struggling to live with human dignity and without fear. "